Hoax returning to their true selves

After a long hiatus from touring, the Wiltshire blues band is back with a new lease of life.

Formed in 1991, The Hoax were courted by major labels, whisked across the world on tour and recorded albums with some of rock and roll’s most prestigious producers.

But while, as the 90s progressed, the band seemed to have it all, they’d actually had enough. And in 1999 the band went their different ways, as guitarist Jon Amor explains.

“We all became disillusioned and I think when you do something like play in a band it wears you out.

“We never stopped touring and we were under a lot of pressure. The record company wanted us to make a certain type of music and look a certain kind of way and soon you start to lose sight of the fun and you stop enjoying it.”

But now – twenty-odd years later – the band has rediscovered fun.

“We’ve got together again to record an album and it’s been great. We’ve all been so relaxed and we’re not trying to be clever or cerebral, we’re just playing what we really enjoy playing and what we want to play.”

The album, which is the band’s first in 15 years, was funded by pledges from fans amounting to around £15,000 ($20,000).

Known as Big City Blues, it was recorded in Southern California and scored a Number One in the British Blues charts last year.

This success is a welcome return to a star-studded career in blues rock.

In the 90s, after being signed by producer Mike Vernon (whose repertoire includes Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall and The Blues Breakers) to Atlantic / Warner Records.

The band’s debut album, Sound Like This, was hailed as one of the definitive albums of the time.

Big City Blues is out now and The Hoax play at the Academy, Arundel Gate on April 13.